In days of yore, the Ancestor, Zhan Xingye, stood beneath the star-strewn sky. After years of profound contemplation, he finally unlocked the secrets of the third scroll. Yet, upon beholding its contents, his visage twisted into a most peculiar expression. With the third scroll clutched tightly, he retreated into seclusion, vanishing from the world for a millennium. One day, a thousand years hence, his kin discovered his chamber, finding only the third Zhan battle scroll and a jade slip. The Ancestor himself was nowhere to be found!

“Had our Ancestor not vanished,” the Clan Elder spoke, his voice heavy with lament, “his cultivation was such that even the Thunder Immortal Palace would not dare provoke our Zhan Clan. Aye, even the ancient families of cultivators would tremble before him. With the Ancestor, our Zhan Clan flourished!”

“But alas, all this changed with his disappearance…” He sighed, “Each generation of descendants has yearned to find him. The Ancestor is not dead, for if he were, the life-token upon the ancestral altar would have shattered!”

Lie Yunzi’s mind raced, a torrent of thoughts colliding within him. Of the Zhan lineage, only three could decipher the second scroll, yet the third remained a sealed mystery. This, he had never revealed, not even to the youngest of kin, who all mistakenly believed that he and the elders could comprehend the third scroll. Even Zhan Konglie held this belief.

Lie Yunzi chuckled inwardly, a bitter taste upon his tongue. He knew all too well that he and the other two could only glean but a mere sense of the second scroll, nothing more. None could delve into its depths as this Xu Mu seemed capable of doing!

“This has naught to do with cultivation,” he pondered, “nor even with talent. Yet, the true cause eludes me, a riddle I have wrestled with my entire life.” He looked upon Wang Lin, his eyes filled with a desperate hope, “Xu Mu, if you were to gaze upon this third scroll, what price would I have to pay? Speak!”

He harbored a hidden agenda, beyond the mere search for the Ancestor. The jade slip left behind by Zhan Xingye spoke of a profound secret, “Should one of the Zhan Clan inherit this legacy, they shall ascend to the very pinnacle of power!”

Wang Lin considered the request, his brow furrowed in thought. Finally, he shook his head, “With my current cultivation, I believe I cannot unlock the third scroll.” He recalled the surge of primal power that had coursed through him upon glimpsing the second scroll, integrating into his third eye.

“This is not about cultivation. Try, I beseech you,” Lie Yunzi insisted. “Name your price, and I, Lie Yunzi, shall strive to fulfill it!” With a swift gesture, he tapped his brow, causing a swirling vortex of dark energy to emanate from his crown. From within this vortex, a painted scroll unfurled. It was the third Zhan battle scroll! Lie Yunzi inhaled deeply, grasping the scroll and extending it towards Wang Lin. As Wang Lin took it, a wave of power washed over him, shaking his very soul. This power far surpassed that of the second scroll.

“I must not open this scroll!” Wang Lin’s third eye throbbed in warning. He sensed a terrible danger emanating from the painting. A feeling deep in his soul told him that to dare even a glimpse would be to invite utter annihilation! He looked at Lie Yunzi and tossed the scroll back, “Elder Lie Yunzi, were I to open this scroll, I would be courting death itself! There would be no chance of survival!”

Lie Yunzi’s face darkened with disappointment. “However,” Wang Lin continued, “rest assured, I do yearn to behold the third battle scroll. If, one day, my cultivation is sufficient, I shall seek you out. But for now, to gaze upon it would be to invite oblivion, and then you would have to seek another.”

Wang Lin stepped back cautiously, speaking with a calm demeanor. He suspected Lie Yunzi would not dare attack him. However, should the Clan Elder prove reckless, Wang Lin had already made preparations. Even if he could not prevail, he could stall long enough for the arrival of Qing Shui.

Lie Yunzi stared intently at Wang Lin, his mind a whirlwind of calculations. He was well aware of the dangers of the third scroll. Throughout the ages, all who had dared to open it had met with swift and merciless doom. Even he, to this day, dared not to peek. Moreover, this Xu Mu had earned the favor of Luo Tian. To imprison or kill him after having seen the scroll would surely invite the wrath of Yan Leizi.

Lie Yunzi cared not for the wrath of Yan Leizi, but he did fear Qing Shui! He saw the man as a mad dog who would seek retribution for Xu Mu if he was hurt or killed, “That madman did battle with Blood God, during the Immortal Ascension he slew members of the Thunder Palace. If I take this Xu Mu from the fold, I will certainly anger him. It seems Xu Mu will not be so easily taken anyway.”

“I have not met a man in many years who can comprehend the meaning of the scrolls… to kill him now would be a fool’s errand. I will befriend him so that I may see this day,” With a laugh Lie Yunzi began to nod, and his eyes were full of praise.

“Well done, my little Luo Tian thunder god! I the Zhan clan do not know of the family that may restore your baby, but we do have other knowledge and skills you may benefit from! After you search for me to view the third scroll, I will tell you all I know, and bestow upon you any thing you may ask for, so long as my people can deliver,” Lie Yunzi had paid a great price for Wang Lin, and his face was full of gratitude as he spoke with respect.

“Thank you clan elder, I will be in your care for a long time,” With a smile Lie Yunzi shook his head. “You are friends with Qing Shui correct? You should be on your way.” Wang Lin gave a bow of respect to the man and disappeared into the sky as a rainbow, flying far away.

After Wang Lin left Lie Yunzi darkened his face and spoke in a deep tone, “Yan Leizi will not fight for a little one, only Qing Shui… however he has not much time left. Once he is dead, Xu Mu, how will you escape.”

Wang Lin after exiting the star grew a dark face as well, flying off as quickly as he could. Lie Yunzi had requested his presence, and to deny would bring scorn upon himself. If he was to remain safe from those who would wish him harm, he had to respect Lie Yunzi’s requests.

Wang Lin thought about what had happened in the meeting, and what the clan elder could have wanted from him. The truth was that Wang Lin did gain great benefits from the meeting, and was happy for the extra bits of power he was granted.

Wang Lin began to think to himself how he may avoid Lie Yunzi, but stopped himself. If he was to be on Lie Yunzi’s bad side, the benefits of the day could be stripped from him.

While flying, Wang Lin found a floating asteroid in the sky and sat upon it, waiting for Qing Shui. A few days after sitting still, the area in front of him started to ripple, and Qing Shui stepped out.

As he appeared the area filled with a great dark aura, and behind Qing Shui were dozens of heads, all contorted with fear and despair.

Wang Lin opened his eyes and sighed, Qing Shui was stronger than he was days ago, meaning more lives had been consumed.

“These people are masters of stealth in the killer domain, and they shall aid us into the realm,” Qing Shui said, waving his hand and turning the heads around.

“Celestial Arts of the Ghost,” Qing Shui uttered, and with the hand gesture the heads exploded into a misty blood cloud.

The surrounding was filled with mist, and Qing Shui began to twist the mist into a vortex, containing the souls of the victims within. Wang Lin had to cover his ears as he could hear the screams of the many.

“The ghosts of our ancestors guide us,” Qing Shui said in a cold voice as the vortex filled with dark energy, leading to a black hole!

The combined memory of the spirits in the area showed their way home, combined from the thoughts of all of them. From within the black hole was a dim red world!

There were many buildings in the world that were stabbed into the sky by swords, as well as a dark killing aura that spread all around the space.

In the middle was a tower, that reached to the sky. Black chains came out from the tower and connected the tower to the rest of the land. It was the killer domain!

“This skill is useful to be sure, my favorite from back in the day,” Qing Shui said as he handed a jade to Wang Lin, stepping into the vortex without thinking. Wang Lin laughed as he accepted the jade, knowing Qing Shui only desired a quick shortcut to murder. Without thought Wang Lin entered as well, following behind Qing Shui!

In the killer domain, the appearance of the vortex gained immediate attention from all. However, in an instant, the killer’s domain was silenced. “I am Qing Shui of the Thunder Celestial World, and I am here to retrieve old treasures, and destroy this world!”

After his voice was heard, a killer wind began to rise from the ground, destroying everything in it’s path! The sword shaped pillars holding up the land began to explode and crumble!

“What did the killer domain do to Qing Shui to anger him so? To rip the memories out of Xuan Bao Ren and begin such destruction!” Wang Lin said as he stepped out of the vortex, his eyes cold as he looked at the cultivator alliance that stood before him.